Asuka Fukuda, one of the most popular of the original members of the Japanese pop group Morning Musume is making a comeback to the world of entertainment. She was the youngest member and left very quickly after the group began to dominate the pop music world. The official reason for her departure was to concentrate on her studies and she officially left the Japanese entertainment world in April of 1999. There were rumors of bullying, and a famous episode in which she was interviewed by comedian Takaaki Ishibashi (known best to Americans as the Japanese guy from the Major League movie series) and referred to as saying she looked like the kind of person who gives you your shoes at a bowling alley.
Through it all she was and is still hailed as one of the cutest members the group ever had and her “graduation” or exit from the group was widely mourned.
Recently though she has resurfaced as a member of a three person group called Peacestone. Their first album “Double Fantasy” is due out on November 9, 2011. The first single off the album is titled “Organic Mixture” and according to the description features harmony from Asuka and Terra (0ne of the guys in the group).
The pictures below show Asuka Fukuda at age 13 and now.
Lastly, I’ll embed part of their first video and you can see what you think of her latest endeavor. Fans are just probably glad she’s back after over 10 years of anonymity.